Learn more about our team (alphabetical by first name).

Alex Sosebee [Production Manager, Lead Teacher] has been a part of Circus Culture since its opening in 2015, both as a student and a teacher. Above all else, they strive to create a supportive learning and growing environment for kids and adults. Alex loves fostering connection, getting into the nitty-gritty of what makes a trick work, and working with students to build a strong foundational understanding of technique.

Amy Cohen [Director, Lead Teacher] has been teaching circus for 20 years. Her teaching style is rooted in a deep love for the merging of theory, practice, creativity, and play. Amy's classes are structured to meet students where they are, support student assessed risk taking, integrate context about the wider world of circus arts, and encourage the development of technique and unique style in tandem. 

Claire Dehm’s (she/her) [Studio Manager, Lead Teacher] love for and appreciation of circus began when she started clowning at the age of 8. She's been teaching circus for over 10 years and has had the privilege of teaching, learning, and playing at Circus Culture since 2016. Claire loves diving into the pedagogy of teaching circus and her goal is to help students of all ages find joyful connection with their bodies and other students through the art. Her classes are rooted in play and discovery, always in awe that there are infinite pathways to accomplishing a skill.

Elan Reuven (He/Him) [Lead Teacher] comes from a background of formal training in partner acrobatics and handstands. His teaching focuses on technique and body conditioning to make movements as healthy and efficient as possible. Elan thoroughly enjoys clown and theatre work. 

Emily Babin (she/her), [Offsite Opportunities Manager, Lead Teacher] teaches various age groups, using experience in Early Childhood Development to meet all circusers where they’re at. Emily structures her class to create strong foundations for All Things Circus, and explore fun and creative movement!

Emily Healy (she/her), [Pedegogy Manager, Lead Teacher] draws inspiration from a wide array of movement forms. Her teaching practice centers individual creativity and exploration, as well as curiosity and delight in the somatic experience of moving.

Heather Scheck (she/her) [Lead Teacher] has been teaching at Circus Culture since 2017.  Heather plans her classes in a way that is designed to be fun, safe, and give students a chance to learn new material and build on past skills. She likes to work with her students to adapt tricks/skills in a way that works for each student and their current abilities. 

Holly Adams (all pronouns) [Lead Teacher] has been teaching acting for 30 years and clowning for 20. Holly's teaching style grows from a belief in deep group support, discovery, and adventure. Holly's classes are fine-tuned to meet the the strengths and wishes of each group, but always include broader cultural and historical referents, performance skills that will be helpful in other contexts, supported risk-taking, and joyous celebration.

Jonathan Billing (he/him) [Lead Teacher] has been teaching juggling and unicycling since 2008 both at Circus Culture and Cornell University. Classes are designed to be flexible in order to meet the needs of his students and their abilities. Students will expect skills to be broken down into manageable progressions as well as have ample time to practice.

Sandy Gregorich (she/her) [Lead Teacher] Sandy has been teaching young gymnasts for 40 years and the youngest circusers at Circus Culture for 4 years. Her background is in Exercise Science and she has been a long time gymnastics coach specializing in younger ages.  Sandy brings a sense of community and fun to her classes and strives to merge creativeness and good basic movement techniques. Her classes are meant to give young children a basic body awareness, basic tumbling skills, and introduce beginning circus skills. Her goals include helping children to be successful in future movement endeavors whether that be circus or some other passion.

Seth Hunter Koproski (any/all) [Lead Teacher] is a theater, circus, and puppet artist that specializes in developing new and ensemble-based works. At Circus Culture, he primarily assists with the creation of the troupe shows, coaching performance, acting, and directing. He enjoys pushing the boundaries of circus and its ability to tell stories, convey emotion, and show truth, all while delivering a fun and exciting experience for the audience.

Shekinah Williams (she/her) [Lead Teacher]. She-Ken-na is the most powerful mummy goddess to walk this earth. She started dance when she was 7 and discovered circus in late middle school, deeming it a "side art" while she continued to dance Lyrical/ Movement /Jazz /Ballet in high school. Shekinah has produced numerous circus shows since 2020. When it comes to her craft, she wants it to be not just about skill but about passion/expression and supporting all of us through the art of circus! Shekinah’s approach is to always smile in order to let everyone know she’s your friend. She’s here to teach but to also learn from her students.

Fall 2024 teaching assistants include (listed alphabetically): Anna Agrawal, Arrow West, Hillel Brody, Izzy Tenorio, Jessica Swart, Kai Aittama, Miley Charsky, Qatalina Hubbard, Rani Sethupathy, Seth Koproski

Additional production staff include: Nuala Hill, Nuala Ugine, Izzy Tenorio, Alice Knipe, Miley Charsky.

About the founder:

Amy is a circus instigator and educator who believes that circus can change the world.  She holds a B.S. in arts management from Ithaca College, an MA in “circus as a tool for social change, education, and creative expression” from NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, and was a Fulbright Scholar to the UK researching contemporary circus culture and education in London.  Amy has spoken on panels about circus arts and education all around the world.

In addition to founding and directing Circus Culture, Amy was the Executive Director of the American Youth Circus Organization and continues to be engaged in the national and international circus context. She is honored to serve both the local Ithaca community and the national circus sector.